On Saturday, after breakfast the GF and I took out the kayak and paddled to the two islands in the bay where, we were told, there was snorkeling. I went in front and took the role of steering, while the GF provided the power, the speed and, if one must be honest, most of the […]
Arrived
Arrived in Phuket after a delayed, but not dramatically so, flight. The delay appeared to be due to the late arrival of the crew (not, as the announcement stated, unavoidable technical difficulties), which I don’t really understand but there it is. At immigration we were in a queue with a truly unpleasant immigration official whose […]
On the road again
We’re off to Thailand this evening where (all going well) we’ll meet the GF’s adopted uncle, a Kiwi gentleman. We’re supposed to go to a fairly bland hotel for an overnight stop, about half an hour from Phuket airport (a true shithole), and then drive a couple of hours north, followed by a longtail boat […]
More success
This morning we went to Brahma Tirta, an art studio I had, after some really vigorous sleuthing, as the place where a batik wall hanging originated. I had seen this wall hanging in a shop in Bali, lusted after it, but then said nothing as I was not in the market for wall hangings. When […]
Big old thing
We arrived in Jogja last night after circling the airport for what felt like a really long time. Torrential rain had closed the airport. It also closed up the streets, so it was a long, slow drive to Borobudur where we were staying in a hotel attached to the site itself. It was very dark […]
Rush
We leave for Yogyakarta today, earlier than I thought. The flight is at 1500; I had thought we were to leave for the airport then. Of course, some work has come in and I won’t finish before leaving, so my computer accompanies me so I can work on the flight. I am not sure what […]
Too much travelling
A long-expected and somewhat dreaded phone call today – nothing disastrous or upsetting, but I have to go to Lahore as soon as possible to sign some documents that must be done in person. I spent the evening trying to work out when I could go. At first it seemed that I would have to […]
Again, get out
Rewatched Get Out. What a fantastic film. This time, of course, I watched it knowing what was to come, having thought about it for many months and read other people’s thoughts, so it was interesting to see how it was all put together. I also noticed the careful, confident ratcheting up of absurdity this time, […]
Still in Bali
Here I am the next morning, still in the Bali airport hotel. We checked in yesterday where we learned that the flight had been rescheduled from 1330 to 1530. 1530 rolled by and there was no sign of an aeroplane at the gate. At 1630 an aeroplane arrived and at 1730 we boarded. We sat […]
In Bali
En route now to Sumba and I am writing this in the Bali airport hotel, probably the last chance for Internet access in a few days. I have set up my new computer which is beautiful despite the annoyances of Windows 10 and Microsoft’s efforts to Malaysia one give ones personal information, set up an […]